Days Later: State of Michigan Basketball...Thoughts?
Now that the storm is over and some people have had a couple days to come down from meltdown status...I wanted to see how fellow MGoUser's felt about the basketball team, the season thus far and the remainder of the season.
Are we still as confident? What would you change? What are your thoughts?
We've got a few more days until the next game, so...discuss.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:14 PM ^
No thoughts. Anger.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:26 PM ^
Hey man, hang in there...I don't blame you. I was SICK after Wisky and I don't even know what after MSU. I hope this team finds its legs and comes back stronger than ever.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:14 PM ^
We have won on neutral sites and I really believe we're at least an elite eight team.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:21 PM ^
We didn't do very well against Pitt or Kansas State in a neutral site.I could see us being an early upset.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:23 PM ^
Those are top 15 teams, and we won...
February 14th, 2013 at 2:02 PM ^
Didn't we beat KSU by like 15?
February 14th, 2013 at 2:31 PM ^
Yep, and we were up 20 at points in the second half. We did struggle with Pitt, but Pitt seems to be a team that other teams struggle with
February 14th, 2013 at 1:27 PM ^
...and the tournament is the least hostile environment you can get. Corperate crowd and alumni.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:16 PM ^
We're a young team who had never faced a gauntet of games like the ones they just faced. This team is gonna be scary good once they learn to play on the road. The one thing this team needs to figure out before we go to tournament time, is what exactly are they gonna do at the 4? GR111 can't keep playing like he has been if we want to win. I think we keep giving more minutes to Mad Max. He may not be that flashy but he seems like he has a good basketball IQ and won't make too many stupid decisions.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:21 PM ^
Guess he is not ready for the big stage?
We need better D, inside force and better rebounding...we have that and we are national champs in my book.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:31 PM ^
I think he's tired.
He's clearly hit a freshman wall. I don't think he was prepared (and no freshman could be) for the B1G season.
You're saying pull him...that's going too far. But we should cut back his minutes and play 2 bigs WAAAAY more than we do. Even if you take 6-7 minutes away from GRIII to play Horford and McGary together it's better than playing GRIII as much as we do. It would make a huge impact. Even if the guys foul. Hell put Max B or McLimas in...somebody. You can't have GRIII running around exhausted all game.
I'd honestly sit him in practice until the PSU game, he'd get limited minutes there and hopefully he could get his legs back for the home stretch.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:37 PM ^
So you think sitting him against our easiest opponent for weeks is a good idea when his confidence appears to be shot? Penn State is the opportunity to get him going again. Belein should try to limit his minutes to around 30, but Burke's main directive against PSU should be to get GRIII involved in the offense. He's the key to this team as he's essential for spacing the floor in the ways Belein wants to do, has no legitimate backup and can get easy points when he's playing with confidence.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:57 PM ^
You can sit him all week, play him limited minutes vs. PSU and you still have Illinois and PSU again to "get him going."
Your post suggests that I said he only needs to play vs. MSU and IU for the remainder of the regular season. That's not true.
And yes, I'd pull his minutes back vs. the bad teams. You don't need him to win. No reason in wearing him out.
February 14th, 2013 at 2:37 PM ^
I don't think he's worn out so much as lacking in confidence and questioning his game. I'd worry that suddenly decreasing his minutes, even if you explain why you're doing it, risks damaging that even more. I see the home game against a bad team in PSU (and after their past week, I think Illinois is out of that category) as an opportunity to rebuild his confidence. I don't think we should be particularly worried about physical fatigue, given that we have only two games in the next two weeks, both of them at home. I do think there is some mental fatigue there from questioning his game and role on the team, but that's something that can only be addressed through success on the court.
I wasn't trying to imply that you thought he should only play against MSU and IU. Sorry if it came across that way.
February 15th, 2013 at 9:42 AM ^
...and then he had a couple big games during this slump that he's really been in for around 9-10 games now.
You don't lose confidence for that long. Especially when you've shown that you're a heady kid and you have an NBA player for a father.
Also, he really isn't a main "go-to" player on the team, so there's no real reason for him to shy away. He's not under the light. Maybe Stauskas was, McGary would be next (of the freshman), then GRIII.
GRIII to me has just hit a wall. We don't trust anyone else to play PF for extended minutes and he gets locked in there and forgotten about. We're so concerned about a big fouling out sometimes that it makes me sick. Play them together, let GRIII get McGary like minutes. In spurts. Give him time to come to the bench and gather himself (rest and mentally/confidence as you say).
Leaving him out there isn't doing ANY good. Right now if he's playing 33 minutes per game. I'm just saying cut that to 25-26 until MSU, rest him a little more in practice and let's see what happens. He's not going to forget how to play basketball and he's not going to miss a chance to gain confidence but losing 6-7 minutes/per game for 3 games.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:17 PM ^
February 14th, 2013 at 1:19 PM ^
If our basketball team makes you sick to your stomach, you should probably do the world a favor and go root for somebody else. Asshole
February 14th, 2013 at 1:23 PM ^
February 14th, 2013 at 1:27 PM ^
I don't mind being passionate about U fo M sports, you're allowed to do that. BUT when you say that " thinking about this team makes me sick to my stomach," you sound like a tool. REMEMBER how young these guys are. The only upperclassman to get minutes is Tim Hardaway Jr.
I want to win as bad as the next guy, but I'm not gonna sit here and type moronic things when teh wins don't come.
Also your and you're are different.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:31 PM ^
We are mich!!! So you are unclear on my statement
February 14th, 2013 at 1:33 PM ^
Maybe it was the lack of coherent thoughts, grammar, and punctation? Just throwing it out there.
February 14th, 2013 at 2:28 PM ^
I don't see a lack of punctuation!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!
February 14th, 2013 at 2:37 PM ^
OK. He gets a B in punctuation. F- in everything else.
EDIT: I now see what you did there. I'm a little slow sometimes! (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
February 14th, 2013 at 1:36 PM ^
Because you're forever going to be negged in this thread for your first comment.
Maybe you'll learn...12 posts in, you shouldn't make an ass of yourself.
Here's what's going to happen...you're going to keep posting. People are going to keep negging. You're going to get mad. They'll continue to neg. You'll post "GO BLUE"...they'll even neg that. You'll make one last post motherf-ing everyone on this site...then you'll go back to GoBlueWolverine or MLive and complain to the rest of the board.
Good luck.
P.S. - that last post...it'll get negged too.
February 14th, 2013 at 2:39 PM ^
This is why we are the best sports blog message board on the internet. Tip o' the hat to you for your wave o' the finger.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:38 PM ^
The claims that you love the team and that they have no heart are mutually exclusive. Choose one.
February 14th, 2013 at 6:48 PM ^
I love the Tin Man. He was always my favorite.
February 14th, 2013 at 2:34 PM ^
Please learn the difference between "you're" and "your."
And while YOU'RE at it, learn the difference between "than" and "then."
February 14th, 2013 at 6:22 PM ^
February 14th, 2013 at 9:26 PM ^
comments to me given the context. like ever.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:36 PM ^
Fans like HIM give Michigan a bad name? First of all we don't have a "bad name" any place I know of other than being known as supremely cocky and arrogant.
If word gets out that some of our fans make statements that imply that 18-21 year old students make random internet toolbags sick to their stomach we could get a bad name though.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:44 PM ^
Obviously Bo4president, you're too emotional to talk about this... I too am quite pissed of the percieved softness vs our state rival... best to keep it internally.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:45 PM ^
February 14th, 2013 at 2:03 PM ^
It wasnt delivered wrong, to those who can see past the emotion of it. Heck, while watching that game, I wanted to pull out my teeth after the first ten minutes, because I knew exactly what was happening, as I predicted it would happen like that, too. Why they have to play so well at Crisler and then so pisspoor on the road, truly is fixable, and is a matter of mental toughness, and very very disappointing.
February 14th, 2013 at 2:06 PM ^
Oh, and another thing... its ironic you have the name Bo4President, because its a hard-ass like Bo that we at Michigan have missed, and DESPERATELY need again.. .We need that edge, because believe it or not Bo helped the entire athletic program have an edge, even if it is only subconscious.
February 14th, 2013 at 2:51 PM ^
massaging his balls, his post was a wreck.
If you didn't notice Michigan State made like every 3 pointer they took on Tuesday night. Toughness is not like "the glow" from The Last Dragon. Bo as athletic director would not have stopped Denzel Valentine from going nothing but net on absolute prayers from 22 feet when he hasn't made a shot all season. State's whole team careered on Tuesday night. Michigan will hand it back to them in two weeks.
February 14th, 2013 at 3:56 PM ^
+1 if I could, for the Last Dragon reference.
February 14th, 2013 at 8:41 PM ^
Actually they shot below their season % from 3...Well below their B10 %.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:47 PM ^
February 14th, 2013 at 1:50 PM ^
+10000 cocktails to you
February 14th, 2013 at 2:04 PM ^
In this case, I wanted to.
But I didn't know if I should put "flamebait," "trolling," "insightful," or "funny."
That's -1, -1, +1, +1...so I just left it untouched.
Edit: Welp, I guess he got his wish. Banned. Post is gone.
February 14th, 2013 at 2:12 PM ^
which post are you referring to? mine?
February 14th, 2013 at 1:32 PM ^
A bunch of whining jerkoffs who can't have a productive conversation.
To the board, I apologize. To the posters actually posting meaningful thoughts/info...thank you.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:41 PM ^
In my opinion, we have one hell of a team. Age obviously shows in the big games. Still not over MSU performance. By going 1-4 thru the gauntlet of games tells me we have a few pieces missing and on e we have them we are title contenders...that was my original statement as well. Sorry that the individual who cussed misunderstood my message
February 14th, 2013 at 4:20 PM ^
February 14th, 2013 at 6:13 PM ^
February 14th, 2013 at 7:22 PM ^
I know you're probably on the Iphone but showing us your maternity would be quite funny...
February 14th, 2013 at 1:51 PM ^
February 14th, 2013 at 1:52 PM ^
you're already my favorite poster ( seriously ). I don't know what you could do to make it better.
February 14th, 2013 at 1:53 PM ^